Grout cleaning tool

Abstract

A grout cleaning tool includes a grout cleaning tape. The grout cleaning tape can be provided as a replaceable grout cleaning cartridge containing a supply reel of grout cleaning tape that can be rolled across grout line grooves with an applicator roller. The grout cleaning tape can include a composition therein that is configured to be activated or enhanced by steam and transferred into the grout line to be cleaned when steam is applied to the tape.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A grout cleaning cartridge for a surface cleaning apparatus having a steam generator and a foot movable along a surface to be cleaned, comprising:
 a housing configured to be replaceable and selectively mounted to the foot; 
 an applicator roller carried by the housing; 
 a supply reel rotatably carried by the housing; 
 a take-up reel rotatably carried by the housing; and 
 a grout cleaning tape provided on the supply reel, wound around the applicator roller, and coupled to the take-up reel, wherein the grout cleaning tape is provided with a grout cleaning composition; 
 wherein, when the housing is mounted to the foot, advancement of the foot along a surface to be cleaned advances the grout cleaning tape around the application roller and into contact with the surface to be cleaned and wherein each of the applicator roller, supply reel, and take-up reel rotate in unison. 
 
     
     
       2. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein steam from the steam generator releases the cleaning composition from the grout cleaning tape onto the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
       3. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 2 , wherein the grout cleaning composition comprises water, methyl hydrogen polysiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, n-octyltriethoxysilane, and trimethylated silica. 
     
     
       4. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 2 , wherein the grout cleaning composition comprises a heat-activated cleaning composition. 
     
     
       5. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 4 , wherein the grout cleaning tape comprises a dissolvable membrane that is configured to release the cleaning composition when exposed to steam. 
     
     
       6. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 2 , wherein the grout cleaning composition comprises a hydrogen peroxide component in combination with an anionic detergent. 
     
     
       7. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 6 , wherein the anionic detergent comprises sodium lauryl sulfate. 
     
     
       8. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the grout cleaning tape comprises a substrate of non-woven fibers comprising at least one of polypropene, polythene, or poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers. 
     
     
       9. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 8 , wherein the grout cleaning tape comprises a dissolvable membrane that is configured to dissolve when exposed to steam. 
     
     
       10. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 9 , wherein the dissolvable membrane comprises one of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or ethylene vinyl alcohol (EV-OH). 
     
     
       11. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the applicator roller comprises a deformable elastomeric material configured to accommodate height variations of the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
       12. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the applicator roller comprises a tacky outer surface that engages the grout cleaning tape. 
     
     
       13. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the supply reel comprises a first hub that is rotatably mounted to a first support pin on the housing, and the take-up reel comprises a second hub that is rotatably mounted to a second support pin on the housing. 
     
     
       14. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the grout cleaning tape comprises a steam-permeable substrate. 
     
     
       15. The grout cleaning cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the housing is in register with a steam outlet fluidly coupled to the steam generator. 
     
     
       16. A grout cleaning cartridge for a surface cleaning apparatus having a steam generator and a foot movable along a surface to be cleaned, comprising:
 a housing configured to be detachably mounted to the foot in register with a steam outlet fluidly coupled to the steam generator; 
 an applicator roller carried by the housing; 
 a supply reel rotatably carried by the housing; 
 a take-up reel rotatably carried by the housing; and 
 a grout cleaning tape provided with a grout cleaning composition, the grout cleaning tape provided on the supply reel, wound around the applicator roller, and coupled to the take-up reel; 
 wherein, when the housing is mounted to the foot, the grout cleaning cartridge is configured to allow steam from the steam outlet to pass through the grout cleaning tape onto the surface to be cleaned; and advancement of the foot along the surface to be cleaned advances the grout cleaning tape around the application roller and into contact with the surface to be cleaned, transferring the grout cleaning composition from the grout cleaning tape to the surface, and after the grout cleaning composition has been transferred a remainder of the grout cleaning tape is collected on the take-up reel. 
 
     
     
       17. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 16  wherein the grout cleaning tape comprises a steam-permeable substrate. 
     
     
       18. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 16  wherein the grout cleaning tape comprises a dissolvable membrane that is configured to dissolve when exposed to steam. 
     
     
       19. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 18 , wherein the dissolvable membrane comprises one of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or ethylene vinyl alcohol (EV-OH). 
     
     
       20. The grout cleaning cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein the grout cleaning composition comprises a heat-activated cleaning composition.